Electrical plug with main lamp socket and thermostatically-controlled auxiliary lamp sockets



May 23, 1967 SOCKET AND THERMOSTATICALLY-CONTROLLED AUXILIARY LAMP SOCKETS Filed June 18, 1965 INVEN HENRY HER! BY 5'. H-SM A'TTORN EV.

H. HERION 3,321,595 ELECTRICAL PLUG WITH MAIN LAMP United States Patent Ofihce 3,321,595 Patented May 23, 1967 ELECTRIQAL PLUG WITH MAIN LAMP SOCKET A N D THERMGSTATICALLY CONTROLLED AUXELIARY LAMP SDCKETS Henry Herion, 216 Sutherland St., City Island, N.Y. 10464 Filed ."luue 18, 1965, Ser. No. 465,014 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-1155) In my United States patents, No. 2,786,991, issued Mar. 26, 1957 and No. 2,923,927, issued Feb. 2, 1960, I disclose electric lamp receptacle devices for warning of failure of an associated main lamp and at the same time providing illumination from an auxiliary lamp or lamps until the failure is corrected by replacement of the main lamp. Such devices have application particularly in multiple dwelling buildings, factories, hospitals, schools, institutions and other buildings wherein it is necessary for public safety and often required by law to have continuous illumination in hallways, stairways, at entrances, exists, in cellars etc. The devices for the above-mentioned patents insure that illumination continues by the automatic energization of auxiliary lamps upon burn-out or breakage of the main lamp, and that warning is given so that the custodian will make the necessary replacement.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of an improved and simplified electric lamp receptacle device of the character described above and including a main socket for receiving the main lighting lamp, and a pair of auxiliary sockets for receiving either two auxiliary lamps or one auxiliary lamp and an extension cord plug having an auxiliary lamp or other warning device at its remote end, and including thermostaticallycontrolled means for energizing the auxiliary sockets upon failure of a lamp in the main socket, whereby said auxiliary lamps serve as notice that the main lamp has failed, and at least one of the auxiliary lamps will serve as an auxiliary source of illumination until the main lamp can be replaced.

A more particular object is to provide an improved thermostatically-controlled electric lamp receptacle device of the above nature which, because of its simplicity, low cost and ease of installation, is particularly well suited to use in small apartment buildings and low cost public housing.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a thermostaticallycontrolled lamp receptacle device embodying the invention illustrated with a major portion of one of the two body half-shells broken away, and otherwise partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the broken line 2-2 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational View of the device on a reduced scale.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, designates a thermostatisally-controlled lamp receptacle embodying the invention, illustrated equipped with a main lamp M for the principal source of illumination and auxiliary lamps A, A serving to provide illumination only upon failure of the main lamp due to burn-out or breakage, the device including heat-responsive means controlled by the energization of said main lamp for energizing the screwbase sockets for the auxiliary lamps as is hereinbelow explained.

The receptacle device 10 comprises a housing 11 comprised of complemental, longitudinally-divided half-shell members 12, 13 which are preferably molded of a non electrically-conductive material such as Bakelite. Referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen that the half-shell member 12, as well as the half-shell member 13, is integrally formed with an upwardly-extending neck portion 14, opposed, outwardly and downwardly-extending shoulder portions 15, 16, and a downwardly-extending body portion 17. The half-shell members 12, 13 are held in assembled relation by an externally-threaded metal screw plug ferrule 18 screwed or otherwise fitted over the neck portion ends of said half-shell members, and a ring ferrule 19, preferably of brass, fitted over the outer ends of the body portion 17 of said half-shell members and held in place such as by the use of small screws or a suitable cement (not illustrated).

The shoulder portions 15, 16 of the half-shells 12, 13 are formed, respectively, with complemental, semi-cylindrical recesses 20, 21 within which are fitted metal screw base ferrules 22, 23, respectively, said screw base ferrules being secured in place by bottom screws 24, 25 extending into threaded lugs 26, 27 formed in said half-shells (see FIG. 2).

The body portion 17 of the half-shells 12, 13 are formed, respectively, with a first pair of complemental, semi-circular recesses 28, 29 together defining an outer cylindrical recess 30, and a second pair of eomplemental, semi-circular recesses 31, 32 coaxial with and of smaller diameter than that of the recess 30, within which is fitted a metal screw base ferrule 33 held in place by bottom screws 34 threaded in openings in lugs 35, 36 molded or otherwise fixed in the half-shell member 12.

Central portions of the half-shell members 12, 13 are recessed, as illustrated at 37 and 38, respectively, in FIG. 2, to accommodate wiring for the electrical base ferrules, as is hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, electrical terminal screw base center contacts are provided for the auxiliary socket screw base ferrules 22, 23 by metal strips 39, extending within the recesses 37 and 38 and secured to the inside of the half-shell member 12 as by screws 41, 42. The contact strips 39, 40 are electrically interconnected at the screws 41, 42 by a conductor 43. A metal strip 44 secured against the inside of the half-shell member 12 as by screw 45 provides the center electrical contact for the metal screw base ferrule 33 associated with the main lamp socket. The contact strip 44 is connected with a center contact 46 centrally secured at the outer end of the neck portion 14 of the housing 11 as by a conductor 47, said conductor being secured at one end to the screw 45 and at the other end preferably by being soldered to said center contact. A conductor 48 interconnects the central contacts of the screw plug ferrule 18 of the main lamp screw base ferrule 33 with those of the auxiliary lamp screw base ferrules 22, 23. A conductor 49 further interconnects said ferrule central contacts with a transverse prong plug connector 50 associated with plug receptacles 51, 51 formed in the front and back of the housingmember 11 (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4).

A conductor 52 interconnects the screw plug ferrule 18 with the metal screw base ferrule 33 of the main lamp, being soldered at one end to said screw plug ferrule and fastened at the other end to the bottom screw 34 securing said screw base ferrule. A conductor 53 (see FIG. 1) interconnects the second transverse prong plug connector 54 with the screw base ferrule 33 and the screw plug ferrule 18. It will thus be apparent that the screw base 18 and its associated center terminal contact 46 is connected in parallel with the prong connectors 50, 54 of the plug receptacles 51, 51, and with the screw base ferrule 33 of the main lamp receptacle and its associated central contact, whereby said main lamp receptacle and said plug receptacles will remain energized whenver the device is secrewed into an enrergized plug receptacle such as an ordinarily lamp socket from which the lamp has been removed.

Means is provided for energizing the auxiliary lamp receptacle screw base ferrules 22, 23 only upon failure of an energized lamp in the main lamp receptacle. To this end an arcuate, bi-metallic element 55 is disposed within the cylindrical recess 31} in the lower end of the housing body portion 17, said element being secured at one end by a screw 56 threaded in a boss 57 formed within the cylindrical interior wall of said recess in the half-shell member 12. A metal contact pin 58 is molded or otherwise fixed in vertical disposition in the halfshell member 13, so positioned that its outer end extends into the cylindrical recess 30 near the free end of the bi-metallic element 55 and is normally contacted by the inside of said element, as illustrated by the fullline representation thereof in FIG. 3. The bi-metallic element 55 is so designed, in accordance with known constructional techniques, that when heated by heat radiating from the neck of a main lighting lamp in the main lamp receptacle, it expands radially, as illustrated by the broken-line representation thereof in FIG. 3, to break contact with the contact pin 58. A regulating spring 60 fixed at one end to the outside of the element 55 and bearing at its free end against the interior wall of the cylindrical recess 30 serves as an adjustment for sensi tivity of operation of the bi-metallic element switch. The bi-metallic element 55 and the contact pin 58 thus serve as an electrical switch, normally close-circuited, but operative to open when heated by radiation from an energized lamp in the main lamp receptacle of the device. Since this switch is connected in series with the screw base ferrules 22, 23 of the auxiliary lamp sockets and the screw base ferrule 33 by a conductor 59 extending between screw 24 associated with the ferrule 22 and screw 56 associated with the bi-metallic element 55, and by a conductor 59a extending between screw 34 associated with metal screw base ferrule 33 and the inner end of the contact pin 58, it will be readily apparent that auxiliary lamps A, A in the auxiliary lamp sockets will only become energized upon failure of the main lamp M in the main lamp socket.

In use, it is a simple matter to place my improved safety device in an ordinary lamp socket and place a lamp in the main lamp socket. Either two auxiliary lamps A, A can be placed in the auxiliary lamp sockets to light upon failure of the main lamp M, as described above, or one lamp and an extension cord to a remote place can be utilized for giving warning of lamp failure at a remote place while at the same time providing illumination in the immediate area of a non-operating main lamp. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 4, an auxiliary socket S can be used in one of the auxiliary lamp sockets to permit a second auxiliary lamp to be used as well as to provide a plug receptacle for plug-in of an electric cord to operate a lamp or other electrical device such as a bell or alarm system at a remote location. It is also to be noted that with the use of two auxiliary lamps, if one should fail at any time, emergency illumination would still be provided by the second lamp. The plug receptacles 51, 51 are handy for the use of electric tools or additional lighting when needed,

While there is illustrated and described herein only one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that this form is presented by way of example only, and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric light plug attachable to an electric socket, the combination comprising, a housing having a neck portion at one end, a cylindrical body portion at the other end and opposed sidewardly-projecting portions, a first cylindrical axial recess in the outer end of said body portion, the inner end of said first recess communicating with a second coaxial recess of decreased diameter in said body portion, a main lamp screw base ferrule in said second recess for receiving a main screw base lamp, a pair of auxiliary lamp screw base ferrules in cylindrical recesses formed in said sidewardly-projecting portions of said body portion, a cylindrical screw plug ferrule enveloping said neck portion, a central electrical contact for each of said screw plug and screw base ferrules, electrical conductor means interconnecting said central electrical contacts, electrical conductor means interconnecting said screw plug ferrule and said main lamp screw base ferrule, electrical circuit means interconnecting said screw plug ferrule and said auxiliary lamp screw base ferrules, and a heat-responsive switch means in said circuit means, said heat responsive switch means comprising an arcuate bi-metallic element secured at one end in said first cylindrical axial recess, a regulating spring fixed at one end to the outside of said bi-metallic element and bearing at its free end against an interior wall portion of said first cylindrical axial recess, said bi-metallic element being disposed in substantially concentric relation with respect to the axis of symmetry of said first cylindrical axial recess, and a contact member mounted in said first cylindrical axial recess and adapted to be contacted by the free end of said bi-metallic element in response to deenergization and consequent cooling of a main screw base lamp in said main lamp screw base ferrule, whereby said auxiliary screw base ferrules and their associated central contacts will be connected in parallel with said screw plug ferrule and its associated central contact.

2. An electric light plug as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is in the form of a pair of complemental half-shells, said cylindrical screw plugserving to hold said half-shells together at one end of said housing, and a ring-shaped ferrule in embracing relation with respect to the outer end of said body portion for holding the other ends of said half-shells together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,936,423 11/1933 Clemence 339161 1,967,521 7/1934 Venard.

2,786,991 3/1957 Herion 340-251 2,923,927 2/ 1960 I-Ierion 340-451 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner, H. A. LEWITTER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN AN ELECTRIC LIGHT PLUG ATTACHABLE TO AN ELECTRIC SOCKET, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A HOUSING HAVING A NECK PORTION AT ONE END, A CYLINDRICAL BODY PORTION AT THE OTHER END AND OPPOSED SIDEWARDLY-PROJECTING PORTIONS, A FIRST CYLINDRICAL AXIAL RECESS IN THE OUTER END OF SAID BODY PORTION, THE INNER END OF SAID FIRST RECESS COMMUNICATING WITH A SECOND COAXIAL RECESS OF DECREASED DIAMETER IN SAID BODY PORTION, A MAIN LAMP SCREW BASE FERRULE IN SAID SECOND RECESS FOR RECEIVING A MAIN SCREW BASE LAMP, A PAIR OF AUXILIARY LAMP SCREW BASE FERRULES IN CYLINDRICAL RECESSES FORMED IN SAID SIDEWARDLY-PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID BODY PORTION, A CYLINDRICAL SCREW PLUG FERRULE ENVELOPING SAID NECK PORTION, A CENTRAL ELECTRICAL CONTACT FOR EACH OF SAID SCREW PLUG AND SCREW BASE FERRULES, ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID CENTRAL ELECTRICAL CONTACTS, ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SCREW PLUG FERRULE AND SAID MAIN LAMP SCREW BASE FERRULE, ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SCREW PLUG FERRULE AND SAID AUXILIARY LAMP SCREW BASE FERRULES, AND A HEAT-RESPONSIVE SWITCH MEANS IN SAID CIRCUIT MEANS, SAID HEAT RESPONSIVE SWITCH MEANS COMPRISING AN ARCUATE BI-METALLIC ELEMENT SECURED AT ONE END IN SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL AXIAL RECESS, A REGULATING SPRING FIXED AT ONE END TO THE OUTSIDE OF SAID BI-METALLIC ELEMENT AND BEARING AT ITS FREE END AGAINST AN INTERIOR WALL PORTION OF SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL AXIAL RECESS, SAID BI-METALLIC ELEMENT BEING DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRIC RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF SYMMETRY OF SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL AXIAL RECESS, AND A CONTACT MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL AXIAL RECESS AND ADAPTED TO BE CONTACTED BY THE FREE END OF SAID BI-METALLIC ELEMENT IN RESPONSE TO DEENERGIZATION AND CONSEQUENT COOLING OF A MAIN SCREW BASE LAMP IN SAID MAIN LAMP SCREW BASE FERRULE, WHEREBY SAID AUXILIARY SCREW BASE FERRULES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED CENTRAL CONTACTS WILL BE CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH SAID SCREW PLUG FERRULE AND ITS ASSOCIATED CENTRAL CONTACT. 